The Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) in NCR, cognizant of the need to assist and mentor LGUs in planning and implementing their nutrition programs, has been implementing its Shepherding Project since 2012. The project is part of the LGU Mobilization Strategies for the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition or PPAN which is the country’s blueprint for nutrition improvement.
The local government units (LGUs) through their Local Nutrition Committees have been doing a lot of efforts to prevent the deterioration of the nutritional status of vulnerable groups including infants, children, pregnant and lactating women and even older persons during the COVID-19 pandemic. The LGUs need to be guided on how they can better mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the nutritional status of the population.
Adapting to the new normal, the Shepherding Project will modify its strategies in mentoring LGUs. Due to the preventive measures and restrictions being implemented during the community quarantine, mentoring activities will be done online through virtual meetings, forum and webinars.
A group of ‘Shepherds’ composed of selected members of the NCR Regional Nutrition Management Group was convened in a virtual Orientation Meeting on August 24, 2020. The Shepherding Team is composed of Grace Family Helper Project (GFHP) Executive Director Marlene Viray and Project Coordinator Mr. Vic Viray, DILG-NCR LGOO V Ms. Charizza Laccay, DSWD-NCR ND III Melissa Lourdes de Mesa, PSA-NCR Statistical Specialist II Richard Tolentino and MMDA Planning Officer III Rhowena Alcantara. Also included in the team is Mr. Kevin Agcaoili of the Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines (NFP) who was not available during the orientation.
The orientation, facilitated by NPC Mila Federizo and assisted by Nutrition Officers Meren Francia and Thesa Rivas, was conducted to orient the ‘shepherds’ on their tasks as well as the mentoring activities that will be done in the remaining months of 2020. During the orientation, the ‘shepherds’ expressed their commitment to the project.
It may be recalled that the NCR RNC identified the cities of Pasay, Caloocan, Manila, and Quezon City to be the new priority LGUs of the project for 2020 and this was supported by RNC Resolution No. 1 s2020 entitled, “Resolution Declaring The New Priority Areas of the Regional Nutrition Committee’s Shepherding Project”. (article link here:https://www.nnc.gov.ph/regional-offices/luzon/national-capital-region/3903-shepherding).
To further assist these priority LGUs, an LGU Mobilization Forum will be conducted as well as virtual meetings with the nutrition secretariat to ensure that the delivery of appropriate nutrition responses is sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic and budget is allocated for nutrition in 2021 in compliance to DBM Local Budget Memorandum No. 80 s2020.
The NNC-NCR and the group of ‘Shepherds’ are set to meet again to strategize on how to effectively mentor LGUs during the new normal. (ELF/NPCMEVF/NNCNCR)
